More recently I have had 'pain in the joints of my thumbs, GP said it was arthritus

I was diagnosed with excess stomach acid and take Omperazole for the past year.

I have high Cholesterol and Blood Pressure for which I take medication (Statins and Cardura)

I have had repeated chest and kidney/bladder infections.

All of the above has worsened over time.

For 20+ years I have CONSISTENTLY LOW HCT and RBCCONSISTENTLY HIGH Platelet, MCV and MCH.

The above results appear to get worse with age.

My GP told me:a) A high MCV was 'probably normal for me'

b) That I was a drinker!!! - I told him that I DIDNT drink but it seemed to fall on deaf ears. He equated a high MCV with alcohol.

c) Because I have had a history of depression for 20+ years it was all in my mind!

He also told me that as my 'symptoms' were vague and no 'real' cause could be found that he suspected I had a Somatoform disorder - in other words it was in my head!

I was so disgusted at his 'attitude'.

A friend suggested that I obtain all of my blood test results from my GP and collate them. Which I did, dating back 20+ years.Hence: Low HCT and RBC High platelet, mcv and mch

My GP seems to have written of my 'illnesses' over the years as in my head because of a history of depression.

I want to be able to go to my GP on Wednesday with some possible diagnosis that he could follow up.

I have done 2 home tests for celiac disease and these were negative.

Could it be b12 deficiency? and if so what could cause it other then celiac?

My GP told me last year that 'I may need B12 injections' but he wanted to take a blood test to 'check' - He has it was ok. How can that be if I have a high mcv,platelet and mch with low hct and rbc?

What definitive test is there for B12 deficiency? I need to be able to ask for it on Wednesday.

I have felt rotten for years and in recent months its not getting any easier, I want to be able to see GP and give him the evidence of the blood tests I collated and get him to 'do what he should have done years ago'.

4 Replies:

My husband had all those symptoms that you describe --- Just found out it is definitely Celiac Disease --- blood test are often inaccurate. we did genetic testing as our son was diagnosed definitively Celiac and I knew when he was 2 months old -- he is now 36 years old. My husband is 66 and his brothers and sister has it and it was probably his father who had it.

Hello there Nerak, just some ideas...You could have a bone marrow aspirate to confirm whether your macrocytic anaemia is megaloblastic (resulting from B12 or folate deficiency) or normoblastic (resulting from alcohol abuse, liver disease, hypothyroidism, or increased turn over of red blood cells due to bleeding or their premature destruction). It's VERY painful though, so I wouldn't advise it!Given your history of changes in bowel habit, tiredness, repeated infections, depression etc it is possible you have a thyroid condition. Has your GP done thyroid function tests? If you had an underactive thyroid (relatively common in women), this would explain your symptoms and might be a cause of your anaemia.Or, given your GI symptoms, it is possible that you have inflammatory bowel disease (eg Crohn's, although unlikely) or coeliac disease which might, if untreated for long periods, result in poor absorption of B12 in the ileum. You can be screened for coeliac disease if necessary. You do not say how long you have been using the omeprazole, but chronic use can actually cause a form of pernicious anaemia secondary to reduced acid secretion, although again this is unlikely, and doesn't fit in with the duration of your symptoms.Ignore that nonsense about Lyme disease and electrosensitivity - rule out conventional pathology first.You may want to think about changing your GP if you don't feel you are receiving adequate care. Of course, you may then be labeled as a troublesome patient or even one with Munchausen's syndrome!!Hope this is of some use.

Have your doctor test you for hemochromatosis. It is the most common genetic disorder in the US but it often goes undiagnosed (it is more common for men than women, and often presents itself later in women as they approach menopause). Your symptoms all fit, including being accused of drinking (same thing happened to me and made me so angry I searched and searched until I found an answer -- through genetic testing). The varied symptoms are a result of iron accumulating in organs. Hope above helps.

45 year old female:I am going to see my GP next Wednesday. For 20+ years I have suffered from Bowel problems (diahorrea and Constipation) Stomach problems (bloating, pain, and gas). My eyesight has deteriorated every year for 2 years requiring new prescriptions each year. My hearing has worsened over the past 2 years. I suffer from dizziness, light headedness, chest pain (on occassions), headaches, fatigue and DEPRESSION. More recently I have had 'pain in the joints of my thumbs, GP said it was arthritus I was diagnosed with excess stomach acid and take Omperazole for the past year. I have high Cholesterol and Blood Pressure for which I take medication (Statins and Cardura) I have had repeated chest and kidney/bladder infections. All of the above has worsened over time. For 20+ years I have CONSISTENTLY LOW HCT and RBCCONSISTENTLY HIGH Platelet, MCV and MCH. The above results appear to get worse with age. My GP told me:a) A high MCV was 'probably normal for me' b) That I was a drinker!!! - I told him that I DIDNT drink but it seemed to fall on deaf ears. He equated a high MCV with alcohol. c) Because I have had a history of depression for 20+ years it was all in my mind! He also told me that as my 'symptoms' were vague and no 'real' cause could be found that he suspected I had a Somatoform disorder - in other words it was in my head! I was so disgusted at his 'attitude'. A friend suggested that I obtain all of my blood test results from my GP and collate them. Which I did, dating back 20+ years.Hence: Low HCT and RBC High platelet, mcv and mch My GP seems to have written of my 'illnesses' over the years as in my head because of a history of depression. I want to be able to go to my GP on Wednesday with some possible diagnosis that he could follow up. I have done 2 home tests for celiac disease and these were negative. Could it be b12 deficiency? and if so what could cause it other then celiac? My GP told me last year that 'I may need B12 injections' but he wanted to take a blood test to 'check' - He has it was ok. How can that be if I have a high mcv,platelet and mch with low hct and rbc? What definitive test is there for B12 deficiency? I need to be able to ask for it on Wednesday. I have felt rotten for years and in recent months its not getting any easier, I want to be able to see GP and give him the evidence of the blood tests I collated and get him to 'do what he should have done years ago'. I am ONLY 45 and feel 70, certainly my body feels 70+ ANY HELP WOULD BE GREATLY APPRECIATEDHello, I don't know if this will help or not but my labs are very similar to yours - high platelet, low RBC, sometimes low HGB, sometimes high MCV, and high MCH. I see a hematologist for it and have even had an IV Iron treatment. Sounds like you could be anemic too. You can also have celiac's while the blood test is negative. The best thing for you to do concerning this would be to try the diet recommended for Celliacs. It is difficult and must be followed strictly. You could also ask a physician for a fecal occult blood test. Having celiacs and being anemic go hand in hand because the reaction from wheat in your intestines can cause you to loose blood slowly over time - hence iron deficiency anemia! I would find a new doc if the one you see doesn't listen to you.